Texas Executes Lawyer Who Refused to Appeal Death Sentence

The state of Texas executed 47-year-old George Lott, a former lawyer, in the early hours of today, 18 months after his conviction for killing two prosecutors in a courthouse shooting rampage. Lott, who represented himself and refused assistance, made no final statement before being pronounced dead at 12:19 A.M. This execution marks the second in Texas in a week and the speediest in the state since 1982. The average time from conviction to execution in Texas is eight and a half years.

Key Takeaways:

• George Lott, a 47-year-old former lawyer, was executed by injection in Texas after refusing to appeal his death sentence.
• Lott represented himself throughout the trial and execution, choosing not to seek assistance from lawyers or appeals.
• The execution was the second in Texas in a week and the speediest since the state resumed capital punishment in 1982.
• The average time from conviction to execution in Texas is eight and a half years.
• Lott's execution was quicker than that of Gary Gilmore, who was executed in Utah in 1977, three months after his conviction.
• The shooting, which occurred on July 1, 1992, was carried out by Lott in a Tarrant County Courthouse courtroom in Fort Worth, resulting in the deaths of two prosecutors and wounding of three people, including two judges.
• Lott became licensed to practice law in Texas in 1981 but became inactive in 1988 and was not eligible to practice law at the time of the shooting.

Statistics:

• 18 months: The time between Lott's conviction and execution.
• 12:19 A.M.: The time of day Lott was pronounced dead.
• 47: Lott's age at the time of execution.
• 9-millimeter handgun: The type of gun used in the shooting.
• 17 times: The number of shots fired by Lott during the shooting.
• 2 prosecutors: The number of people killed in the shooting.
• 3 people: The number of people wounded in the shooting.
• 1976: The year the Supreme Court ruled that executions could resume.
• 1977: The year Gary Gilmore was executed in Utah three months after his conviction.
• 1981: The year Lott became licensed to practice law in Texas.
• 1982: The year the state of Texas resumed capital punishment.
• 1988: The year Lott became inactive as a licensed lawyer in Texas.
• 1992: The year of the courthouse shooting incident.

Sources:

• "Texas Executes Lawyer Who Refused to Appeal Death Sentence" (Newspaper article, date not specified)
• State bar records
• Prison records
• Associated Press photo caption (George Lott)